The Everyday Patriot Project

Corporal Desmond Thomas Doss was born on February 7, 1919, in Lynchburg, Virginia. He attended Park Avenue Seventh Day Adventist School, leaving at the end of grammar school to begin working at a lumber company to help his family due to the Great Depression.   Corporal Desmond Doss then moved to Newport News to work at the Naval Shipyard as a joiner. He enlisted in the US Army on April 1, 1942, in response to World War II, trained as a combat medic, and was assigned to the 77th Infantry Division. However, Corporal Desmond Doss refused to carry a weapon because he was a devoutly practicing Seventh-Day Adventist and, therefore, religiously a pacifist. As a result, his early months in the US Army were challenging. His teammates felt he compromised the safety of his unit, and Corporal Desmond Doss faced court-martial.   In 1944 the attitudes of his unit and superiors changed when Corporal Desmond Doss earned two bronze stars during the Battles of Guam and the Philippines...

  Private Adrienne Lynette Mitchell was born in Taipei City, Taiwan, on June 25, 1970. While young, she moved to Moreno Valley, California, and attended Moreno Valley High School, where she played outfield for the school softball team. Private Mitchell graduated in 1988.  She had started studying for a law enforcement degree at the University of California but enlisted in the US Army in September 1990 to earn money for her education. Almost immediately after training, she deployed to Saudi Arabia in response to Desert Shield/Desert Storm and the Gulf War. Private Adrienne Lynette Mitchell died during her service on February 25, 1991, when a scud missile struck her barracks. She rests at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California. * Read about a.d. elliott's Everyday Patriot Project here* ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.ta...

Private First Class Adrian Leonard Stokes was born on September 24, 1970, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He and his family relocated to Riverside, California, when Private First Class Stokes was still in grade school. He attended Ramona High School, where Private First Class Adrian Leonard Stokes played football and sang in the school's madrigal choir.  He enlisted in the US Army in 1989 to earn money for his college education and was assigned to the 32nd Armor Division as a Cavalry Scout and spent the early years of his enlistment in Germany. Private First Class Adrian Leonard Stokes deployed to the Persian Gulf with his unit in November 1990 in response to Desert Storm/Desert Shield and the Gulf War. He died during his service on February 26, 1991, when his armored vehicle was struck by a mortar. Private First Class Adrian Leonard Stokes rests at the Crestlawn Memorial Park in Riverside, California. An additional memorial is also placed at the Port Hudson Nation Cemetery in Zachary L...

  Construction Mechanic Glenn Corbett, A Sailor's Story Construction mechanic Glenn Corbett Born August 17, 1933 - Died January 16, 1993 Construction Mechanic Glenn Corbett was born Glenn Edwin Rothenburg in El Monte, California, on August 17, 1933. Answering the call of duty, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in May 1951, serving with honor as a Seabee during the Korean War. Through grit and determination, he fulfilled his service contract in June 1954. Having done his part for his country, Construction Mechanic Corbett then pursued higher education at Occidental College. It was there that he discovered a new calling. Performing in campus theater productions and modeling to help support himself, his talent soon caught the attention of a Hollywood talent scout. Corbett signed with Columbia Pictures and began a career in film and television that would make him a familiar face to audiences across America. His film debut came in The Crimson Kimono (1959), followed by roles in The Moun...